Monday, November 14, 2011

It's not even Thanksgiving yet and as I jumped into the blogosphere this morning, it was all abuzz with posts and tweets about TSA targeting wrapped presents at checkpoints. Names such as "Grinch" and "Scrooge" were being thrown about with reckless abandon. I even saw a reference to the infamous "Heat Miser." Let me assure you, we are not Mr. Green Christmas and we're not Mr. Sun...

Since TSA's inception, we've worked to educate passengers about traveling with wrapped presents. This is nothing new. Wrapped gifts are screened just like any other item. We can see through the paper just like we can see through luggage, but just as we have to open a bag when it requires a search due to an anomaly or an alarm, we have to open wrapped items as well if they alarm or require additional screening.

We want your gift to arrive wrapped just as much as you do. Just know the possibility is there that if the item alarms, we might have to open it to resolve the alarm. We don't enjoy unwrapping presents that aren't for us, but if an anomaly is detected inside, we'll have to unwrap it in order to determine what it is so we can clear it for travel.